Wilde West 14
4:38:08 PM Khiro: All right. Ebenezer had just revealed that his is a warwilf. 4:39:08 PM Josie: ... how come you said it's a curse? D'you eat people at the full moon or somethin'? 4:40:14 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I've never eaten anyone. But I do change on the full moon and can't really stop it. 4:40:36 PM Josie: An' then what? 4:43:47 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Well, nothing. I have a bit more control over it than someone who acquires the curse through being attacked. but everything is more... intense. 4:44:43 PM Josie: ... so you're still you. No rippin' out throats or the like. 4:46:22 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: No. And I don't infect anyone. Except on the full moon. Another reason to lock myself in and avoid people. 4:47:48 PM Josie: ... is it only bitin' infects another person? I'm already less human'n'I'd like, is all. Addin' a wolf into what's already there's a needless complication. 4:49:20 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Yes. Well, technically, it kicks in when a werewolf tastes a human's blood during the full moon. Infected werewolves turn into raging monsters on the full moon, so.... there are a lot of potential infections. 4:50:19 PM Josie: ... better be careful then, I guess. Still, don't seem like *that* much of a curse. 4:50:52 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Except that every full moon brings me closer to death. 4:51:17 PM Josie: Right, but that's 'cause of a crime, not 'cause of.... bein' a werewolf'n'all. 4:54:34 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I suppose not. Without the dying part, having to lock myself away would just be inconvenient. 4:55:25 PM Josie: ... couldn't you just stay on away from folks? 4:56:47 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Safer for myself to lock myself in. 4:57:33 PM Josie: ... well, all right, but I'm stayin' with next full moon. Or you're stayin' with me, I guess, that'd avoid gossip better. 5:02:04 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I'm not terribly good company during such times. 5:03:05 PM Josie: Like a wolf? 5:04:02 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Like a wolf with the brain of a taxidermist who reads too much. But the mouth and lack of opposable thumbs like a wolf. 5:04:12 PM Josie: Josie shrugs. 5:04:35 PM Josie: Animals like me, you like me. When you're stuck like that, don't see as how that'd change. 5:04:54 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Just mean it'd be awful boring. 5:05:16 PM Josie: Josie eyes him. "You got *books.*" 5:06:04 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Well, true. 5:08:21 PM Josie: I can take a couple o' those with me, an' we'll sit quiet-like in my room back at the hotel. 5:09:22 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: ....but wouldn't people talk? I go with you to your hotel room? Don't come out again until three days later? 5:10:25 PM Josie: No, I grab up a dog been sniffin' around an' keep it. ... ain't even that strange to me, growin' up we always had pets. 5:10:50 PM Josie: Josie actually kept picking up wounded and starved animals and bringing them home and keeping them, to be truthful. 5:12:05 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: A dog that's ten feet from snout to tail? 5:13:23 PM Josie: Josie shrugs. 5:13:54 PM Josie: Dog's a dog. 5:14:21 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: ... I'm not a dog, I'm a wolf. 5:16:10 PM Josie: An' folks don't know the difference. 5:17:11 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: They do when the dog is ten feet long! 5:17:22 PM Josie: You wanna put a barrel round your neck an' we can call you a St. Bernard? 5:20:18 PM Khiro: EBenezer: I don't look anything like a St. Bernard! 5:21:08 PM Josie: Reckon not. 'bout the only difference 'tween a dog an' a wolf to most people's minds is behavior, an' if you're not bitin' people an' tearin' out throats they'll see what they see. 5:38:09 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Well, that's true. 5:41:36 PM Josie: It'll be fine. 5:41:46 PM Josie: Stop frettin'. Just don't want you to be alone all that time, is all. 5:43:23 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Well, when you put it like that... 5:44:01 PM Josie: ... wouldn't like it myself, is all. Is it just at night? 5:44:13 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Right. 5:47:15 PM Josie: Good thing I got a room on the first floor, then. Hope you can fit through the window. 5:48:22 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Depends on the size of the window. 5:48:36 PM Josie: We'll find out. 5:48:39 PM Josie: Josie shrugs. 5:54:06 PM Josie: ... wonder how I'll smell when you're a wolf. 5:54:09 PM Josie: Josie shakes her head. 5:55:27 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Like you do now, just... more. 5:56:12 PM Josie: ... wonder if that's why animals *do* like me. 5:56:58 PM Josie: Always figured it was 'cause I was 'bout half o' one myself. 6:00:32 PM Josie: Josie reaches up into her hair, searches around for a second or two, and comes out with a little piece of fluff: a tiny greyish feather. 6:08:56 PM Khiro: He takes the feather. "Huh." 6:09:17 PM Josie: I'd have a lot more of 'em if I didn't pluck 'em out every day. 6:10:32 PM Khiro: He looks at you, like he's imagining you with feathers! 6:11:43 PM Josie: Josie reddens a bit. 6:17:02 PM Josie: Father always looked human when I saw him, but ma said he was a hawk sometimes. 6:47:40 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Hmm. 6:48:50 PM Josie: Can't do it myself. 6:48:53 PM Josie: Josie shrugs. 6:49:14 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Have you tried? 6:49:56 PM Josie: ... well, no. 6:50:08 PM Khiro: EBenezer: Maybe you can. 6:52:51 PM Josie: ... don't know if I'd want to. 6:53:05 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: You wouldn't want to fly? 6:57:02 PM Josie: ... don't want to be like him, but... 6:59:05 PM Josie: ... I don't know. 6:59:14 PM Josie: Josie shakes her head. 7:08:48 PM Josie: ... you sure your pa wasn't the werewolf? 7:11:57 PM Khiro: He nods. "I know." 7:13:06 PM Josie: ... well. Reckon we still might try an' find 'er. 7:13:34 PM Josie: ... say, I've got an appointment tonight at midnight. You mind if I come by afterward just to... well, so you can verify it wasn't an ambush? 7:17:38 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Midnight? 7:17:43 PM Josie: Josie nods. 7:20:11 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: With who? 7:20:37 PM Josie: The preacher. ... just hope he don't want me dead, is all. 7:21:48 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Oh, I doubt it. He's been here for awhile, don't see why he'd throw that away just for a shot at you. 7:22:44 PM Josie: Don't tell anybody I said that, by the way. Just wanna make sure somebody's makin' sure I ain't dead. 7:23:03 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: No problem. 7:24:16 PM Josie: Well. I s'pose I'd better be goin' on to it. Don't know what he wants. 7:33:12 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: What were you meeting him about? 7:34:00 PM Josie: Don't rightly know, he said he had somethin' to tell me. I'd rather stay here, but. 7:37:14 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: Oh. well, you'll come back after you're done? 7:37:24 PM Josie: Yeah. 7:37:34 PM Josie: ... not to stay, just to ... check in. 7:37:54 PM Khiro: Ebenezer smiles. 7:38:11 PM Josie: Wouldn't be proper. 7:38:39 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I know. Checking in is fine. 7:39:10 PM Josie: Josie nods. 7:39:25 PM Josie: Josie smiles, a little bit. 7:39:29 PM Josie: ... I'll be careful. 7:42:43 PM Khiro: Ebenezer: I know you will. 7:43:52 PM Josie: Josie nods, kisses him one more time, and goes out to meet the suspicious eight-armed preacherguy! 7:44:31 PM Khiro: He has six arms. 7:45:06 PM Josie: ((Eight limbed! Sorry.)) 7:45:29 PM Khiro: ((*flips table!*)) 7:48:00 PM Josie: ((Good, cause it was still upside down from before!)) 7:55:15 PM Khiro: ((YEAH!)) 7:56:24 PM Josie: Josie heads to the graveyard at midnight, alone! 8:06:17 PM Josie: Josie is evidently smart, but not wise! 8:11:52 PM Josie: ((... did Wennie hide again? Are you okay?)) 8:12:51 PM Khiro: ((Eating dinner before I head home!)) 8:13:09 PM Josie: ((Oh, good! Okay! <3 )) 8:16:23 PM Josie: ((I'll grab food too.)) 8:36:45 PM Josie: ((*cooks noodles*)) 8:47:55 PM Josie: ((*noms noodles*)) 8:48:21 PM Khiro: Home! 8:48:42 PM Josie: ((Yay!)) 8:57:39 PM Josie: ((Keep goin'?)) 8:58:48 PM Khiro: ((Yep, just getting settled in.)) 8:59:07 PM Josie: ((Lapcat?)) 8:59:50 PM Khiro: ((More like putting away my laundry!)) 9:01:13 PM Josie: ((Aww. Less fun.)) 9:15:55 PM Khiro: Okay! Sorry. Had to hang stuff up. 9:16:17 PM Josie: ((No worries.)) 9:16:56 PM Khiro: So! you go to the graveyard. 9:18:15 PM Khiro: It's spooooooooooooooooooky. 9:19:15 PM Josie: Josie is spooked! 9:19:36 PM Khiro: There's something unsettling, though you can't put your finger on it. 9:20:34 PM Josie: Josie frowns, and keeps her gun handy! 9:25:32 PM Josie: Josie looks for the preacherman. 9:27:53 PM Khiro: You see a lantern light over by the church building-- looks like he's coming out. 9:29:02 PM Josie: Josie waits for him. 9:34:13 PM Khiro: He comes out! He's dressed in some fancy vestments. "Marshal." 9:34:49 PM Josie: Hey. What's all this about? 9:35:45 PM Khiro: preacher: Have to do the rounds. 9:36:25 PM Khiro: IN one hand he has the lantern, in another a bible, in another, a smaller, leatherbound book, and in another, an old censer! 9:36:37 PM Josie: ... what rounds? 9:38:04 PM Khiro: Preacher: The dead don't rest quietly here. Not without a bit of help. 9:39:30 PM Josie: ... that's interestin'. Well, what do you want to tell me, or is there somethin' you want me to do? 9:42:30 PM Khiro: Preacher: Follow me, marshal. 9:43:48 PM Josie: Josie nods, and follows, a bit tense. 9:50:08 PM Khiro: He goes past the larger, nicer gravestones, past the smaller but still nice gravestones, to a lonely corner of the graveyard where there's nothing more than a couple of blank two by fours. 9:50:38 PM Josie: ... that's sad. 9:51:12 PM Khiro: Preacher: This is Ian and Joel Watson. Two members of Viskav's gang who died when Viskav was run out of town. 9:52:55 PM Josie: ... they don't sleep quiet, huh? 9:53:45 PM Josie: An' they got no stones. 9:56:51 PM Khiro: Preacher: Most folk don't like to be reminded of those times. 10:00:23 PM Josie: So what do they do if you don't... do your thing? 10:03:04 PM Khiro: Preacher: What do you mean by 'my thing'? 10:03:23 PM Josie: If you don't do your rounds. 10:05:18 PM Khiro: Preacher: Most of them rest easy. Some of them... don't. They need some help. 10:07:15 PM Josie: What *kinda* help? 10:10:26 PM Khiro: Preacher: The ones that don't rest easily usually have some unfinished business, or they feel that they have unfinished business. They're trapped in a loop, almost. 10:16:24 PM Josie: An' what do you want me to do about it? 10:17:32 PM Khiro: Preacher: I thought you might be curious about what these two might have to say about Viskav. 10:19:56 PM Josie: ... yeah, I am, actually. They talk? 10:21:21 PM Khiro: Preacher: Their ghosts often don't shut up. 10:24:13 PM Josie: ... I'll listen. 10:28:03 PM Josie: How do I get 'em to talk t'me? 10:29:29 PM Josie: ... feel like I shoulda brought flowers. 10:31:01 PM Khiro: Preacher: I wouldn't shed a tear for either of these boys. 10:31:56 PM Josie: Didn't say I'd cry. Some things're just decent. 10:32:57 PM Josie: How do we get 'em to talk. 10:38:09 PM Khiro: Preacher: It's the 21st, right? 10:38:44 PM Josie: Yeah? 10:39:15 PM Khiro: Preacher: They'll wake up pretty soon. 10:40:06 PM Josie: What should I know, 'fore they do? 10:47:23 PM Khiro: Preacher: No love lost between them and Viskav. They got gunned down covering the exit of the others. Thought they'd be able to get away too, but they got left. 10:48:03 PM Josie: All right. ... guess I'm ready. 10:48:06 PM Josie: Josie takes off her hat. 10:51:06 PM Khiro: Preacher: Just ask a question. Soemthing to get them riled up. 10:51:56 PM Josie: All right. You want Viskav to come back an' get all his things back, when he got you killed, or not, boys? C'mon, talk t'me. 10:57:43 PM Khiro: Silence! Just some crickets out in the distance. 10:59:26 PM Josie: You're dead an' he's gonna get rich an' run the town just like he used to. 11:00:09 PM Khiro: Some of the pebbles on the left mound of dirt start trembling. 11:02:01 PM Josie: You think he'll do a damn thing for you now as you're dead? 11:02:12 PM Khiro: They tremble more! 11:02:51 PM Josie: I will. You got my word on it. 11:11:48 PM Josie: Might be able to help with what's keepin' you here, too. 11:13:30 PM Khiro: ((Sorry! had to clean up after the cat.)) 11:13:42 PM Khiro: This misty stuff starts coming out of the mound of dirt. 11:18:01 PM Khiro: If you squint your ears, you think you hear a voice. "Fffffffffffffffffffffffkkkkkkk" 11:18:39 PM Josie: Talk clearer, I can't hear ya. 11:21:04 PM Khiro: Voice: Ffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeniiiiiiiiiiiiick. 11:23:09 PM Josie: What *about* Fennick? 11:25:08 PM Khiro: Voice: Why'd.... you.... come back? 11:25:56 PM Josie: Why'd Fennick come back? I don't know, why did he? 11:27:07 PM Khiro: Voice: You were.... always his... favorite. 11:27:44 PM Josie: I ain't Fennick. An' Fennick *said* he was gonna take over the town all over again. 11:28:12 PM Khiro: Voice: Always hated you, Fennick. 11:28:39 PM Josie: I *ain't* Fennick. How can we stop Fennick? How can we stop Viskav? 11:29:33 PM Khiro: Voice: You know, Fennick, you always knew, why mock me now? 11:30:14 PM Josie: I *ain't* Fennick, you dumbass. 11:30:27 PM Josie: Josie rubs her forehead. 11:30:41 PM Josie: Come on, tell me what 'is weak points are, an' Viskav's too. 11:31:55 PM Khiro: Preacher: ...ghosts aren't often terribly sharp. 11:32:51 PM Josie: 'parently not. 11:32:56 PM Josie: Listen, what you got undone, boys? 11:33:07 PM Josie: Why d'you keep comin' back? 11:36:34 PM Khiro: Voice: Fennnnnick. 11:37:37 PM Josie: You keep comin' back 'cause of Fennick? 11:38:02 PM Khiro: Voice: Want you dead. 11:41:38 PM Josie: Fennick's already dead. I shot 'im to death an' watched 'im die. 11:43:44 PM Khiro: Voice: Liiiiaaar. 11:46:38 PM Josie: I ain't lyin', he bled out all over the place. 11:47:55 PM Khiro: Voice: You can't trick me anymore, Fennnick. You're talking to me now. 11:48:00 PM Khiro: The mist starts becoming humanoid. 11:49:27 PM Josie: I ain't Fennick, ya fool. You're smellin' his dyin' curse on me, that's all. 11:51:28 PM Khiro: Voice: Lies. It's all you are. 11:53:12 PM Josie: Josie sighs. 11:53:32 PM Josie: Well, then, tell me what my greatest weakness is. Or how to undo a spell. or how to stop me or Viskav. 11:54:43 PM Khiro: Voice: No need to mock me. I ain't no warlock. 11:56:31 PM Khiro: Voice: You always bragged you knew how to kill Viskav. Wouldn't tell us anything. 11:56:43 PM | Edited 11:56:47 PM Josie: You ain't jokin' you can't tell a man from a woman! 11:58:21 PM Khiro: The preacher leans over. "Ghosts don't see in a physical sense. They see in a spiritual sense." 11:58:51 PM Josie: Well spiritually I ain't a man! 12:01:39 AM Khiro: Preacher: If Fennick cursed you, they're seeing that part of his lifeforce he stuck onto yours. 12:03:53 AM Josie: Hmph. 12:04:01 AM Josie: ... well I don't know how Fennick'd get 'im to talk. 12:06:32 AM Khiro: Preacher: Well, apparently Fennick knew how to kill Viskav. Or how to hurt him, anyway. 12:07:07 AM Josie: Well that doesn't help me 'cause I still don't, and Fennick's dead! 12:07:52 AM Khiro: Preacher: If Fennick wanted you to kill Viskav, surely he would have hidden the information for you. 12:10:57 AM Josie: I don't want to do *anything* Fennick wanted me to do! 12:11:11 AM Josie: Josie eyes the ghost. "All right, what do you want?" 12:11:57 AM Khiro: The ghost, at this point, is practically a man. "You wanna know what I want, Fennick?" 12:13:21 AM Josie: I still ain't Fennick, but yeah. 12:15:38 AM Khiro: the ghost's 'arm' shoots out, grabbing you by the neck! It looks like it's made of mist, but it's... rather quite solid. Or liquid. HArd to tell. But its definitely trying to choke you! 12:16:14 AM Josie: Josie punches it, or tries to! 12:18:12 AM Khiro: That's harder! Your hand goes through its head. The preacher says some words in latin, which seems to cause its grip on your throat to become less solid. 12:18:37 AM Josie: ... you *do* speak Latin, huh. Ow. 12:18:51 AM Josie: Josie rubs her throat and glares at the ghost. "I already killed 'im for you, you might say thank you." 12:19:56 AM Khiro: The preacher continues his invocation and the ghost dissipates. 12:20:31 AM Khiro: Preacher: Ghosts, especially the evil vengeful sort, don't really respond to reason. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let him manifest that far. 12:20:50 AM Khiro: Also, your neck and the hand you went to punch the ghost with are slimy. 12:22:56 AM Josie: Ugh. That's disgustin'. 12:23:06 AM Josie: Well. The other one's much the same, I guess? 12:24:57 AM Khiro: Preacher: sorry. Ectoplasm. Yes, Ian always just went along with whatever his brother did. 12:25:31 AM Josie: Josie sighs. 12:25:37 AM Josie: ... was hopin' for somethin' useful, but... 12:25:52 AM Josie: Josie takes out her handkerchief and cleans off her neck, shivering a bit. 12:25:59 AM Khiro: Preacher: Iwas hoping you'd get some information that would be useful to you. 12:26:03 AM Khiro: It's plasmy. 12:26:39 AM Josie: Well, I sure do 'preciate the thought, Reverend. 12:29:20 AM Khiro: Preacher: Of course. If I can do anything else, don't hesitate to ask, marshal. But for now, I have to see to the rest of the ghosts. 12:30:31 AM Josie: ... there's more of 'em? 12:31:04 AM Khiro: Preacher: Yes. Most are not violent, just restless. 12:31:44 AM Josie: ... any of 'em Viskav's victims? 12:34:58 AM Khiro: Preacher: I'm sure some of them died during his reign, yes. And because of him. But his personal victims, no. 12:36:15 AM Josie: None of 'em? What 'bout Fennick? 12:37:33 AM Khiro: Preacher: I'm not sure what Viskav did with the remains of his own victims, but he certainly didn't bury them here. 12:37:50 AM Khiro: Preacher: Same for Fennick. Both of them were warlocks. 12:40:24 AM Josie: ... well, all right, Reverend. Pray for me. 12:42:47 AM Khiro: Preacher: In general, or for something in specific? 12:44:34 AM Josie: Survivin' all the supernatural whatnot. 12:45:27 AM Khiro: Preacher: I'll do that, marshal. 12:46:04 AM Josie: Who do I talk to t'get a tombstone for them boys? 12:55:07 AM Khiro: Preacher: Fella who makes the caskets got a cousin who carves the tombstones. Don't know how willing he'd be to do it, though. 12:57:34 AM Josie: Ain't a friend of Viskav, I take it. 12:57:45 AM Josie: I said I'd do it, an' I'll get it done one way or another. 12:58:01 AM Khiro: Preacher: Ian here cut up his niece. 12:59:29 AM Josie: Ain't bringin' him back to life. If I can't get a stone carved I'll get a wooden cross, it's still better'n'nothin'. 1:00:53 AM Khiro: Preacher: Wasn't saying gyou shouldn't try. 1:01:45 AM Josie: Lord. No wonder Fennick was surprised when I stayed with 'em when he died. That gang sucked the heart outta this town. 1:02:28 AM Khiro: Preacher: With all respect, marshal, you weren't here. 1:03:09 AM Josie: If I was I'd be the same, I'm sure, but I guess it's a good thing I weren't. 1:07:43 AM Khiro: Preacher: Don't be so quick to judge, marshal. Wilde was formed with good intentions; to give those of us that couldn't hide among humans a place to live, to work, to make a life. Then we lived under a warlord for a decade and no one could be bothered to help us. 1:08:19 AM Josie: Nobody asked me or I woulda tried. 1:09:08 AM Khiro: Preacher: If only there were more like you. But there weren't when we needed them. 1:10:24 AM Josie: I understand. It'd make any town hard, I know. ... just hope it can heal now, is all. 1:12:58 AM Khiro: Preacher: We've been healing. We still are. Wilde's a much nicer place to live now. But you can't blame folk for not wanting to open old wounds. 1:13:43 AM Josie: Never said I did. 1:14:09 AM Khiro: Preacher: Maybe it'd be better if these two boys didn't rise from the dead every couple of weeks. Then folk would know they'd gone onto their punishment for the rapin' and killin' and cuttin' they did when they were alive. 1:15:03 AM Josie: ... some would think this *was* the punishment, but I take your meanin'. I'll do my best. 1:17:18 AM Khiro: He nods. 1:18:04 AM Josie: Josie tips her hat, and heads back to her warwilf.